West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-09-01
C0NRAD'S ESCAPADE.
by LUcY BLAKE.

fnnllnnNN a
cigar
Fate had hidden herself behind such a
lovely pair of pathetic dark eyes under u
poke bonnet lined with red silk, how
could Mr.. Jeremy Calcott resist her
mighty magnetism! Though in reality
ne was ready to reud limb from limb a
hdgety governess and three children who
threatened to bar his progress. Mr.. Cal
colt ensconced himself In this particular
carriage witha manner intended 10 cxpres,
the coldest indifference as TO where he
sat. He chose place opposite the
wearer OF the poke bonnet, so thatat dis
Greet moments his artists eve might re-
fresh itself without danger of dislocation
by look at the most charming face and
hgure 1t had ever rested upon. The air
oi sadness in mouth and eyes, though
unsuited to her yonng years, added much
To the fascination of The girls face.
She was accompanied by rather dull
looking person i'm black, who divided her
time between catching short ierkv mans
IN uugracelul attitudes, with her mouth
open, and casting anxious g,ances AT a
large basket i'm red drapery i'm rack
overhead. She had doubtless placed il
there herself with the usual feminine
disregard for stability and public safety,
aad was watching for il 10 come rattlinp
down upon somebody's head.
Mr. Calcott longed to speak to his
pretty neighbor but for fear of frighten-
ing her he refrained. Fate presently
took compassion on him; the shade OF
the poke bonnet was evidently not
enough for the pretty black ewes, for a
little white hand, quicker in its move
ment than Calcott's, reached up to draw
down the blind The wood was warned
aud still and the poor little fingers wer,
pinchcd. Not very badly perhaps. but
the black eyes had suspicious moisture
IN their corners. Calcott forgot his
cautious reserve, and expressed deep re.
gret for the accident which caused the
young lady such keen suffering.
Did she know that rec wine was con-
sidered efficacious in allaying the pain of
"A pinch, and would she allow him TO
offer some from his flask? She seemed
nothing loath, so the infatuated Young
man tore up into strips his fine new linen
handkerchief (delighting all the time in
the fact that there was an embroidered
monogram in the corner, which made the
sacrifice more complete), and saturated
the bandage with wine TO bind round the
injured finger.
Thank you; it feels better already.
she murmured "but what pity you tore
up your handkerchief. "
As If being allowed to touch that
dainty little hand for few minutes was
not worth all the rubbishy yhaudkerchiefs
in the kingdom thought Calcott, but
what he said was less gallant.
The young lady in black witnessed
this scene with stony indifference. Mr.
Calcott resented her evident callousncss
but felt deeply grateful 10 her for leaving
the care Of the wounded finger to him.
After this mishap Mr.. Calcott found
himself chatting 10 his pretty cis-a-gis
with the ease of long acquaintance As
they stopped at a wayside station, he ex-
claimed
"There is a type Of my countrywomen
OF which Pm heartily ashamed WHY
can't she leave that wretched little brute
oil dog at homel Look that is the
second porter who has tipped over its
lcading-string. The way that that fat
little old man swore when the beast ran
under his legs was quite shocking, but
excusable under the circumstaces
People who travel about the country with
animals demoralize the public and make
themselves consummate nuisances. Do
you not agree with me2'
The young lady in the poke bonnet did
not seem quite to agree with Mr. Calcott
upon this subject, aud as they moved on
he became aware Of n change in her man
ncr-a timidity more than coOlness she
glanced uneasily at the lady in black, and
seemed relieved when that commonplace
person snored uDmistakably. Uncere
moniously enough she shook her awake
as the train neared the Santa CrOce
Station, and both ladies began TO collect
ing their belongings ready 20 descend.
Mr.. Calcott handed do Rn the basket
with the rabid republican covering, and
as he did so, there issued from il a pro-
longed, unmistakable Miauw sonorous.
angry loud, as only n pampered tOmcat
disturbed in his slOthful slumbcr can
give vent TO.
The sablcRarbed young person droop-
cd over the basket, murmuring:
Conrad, my darling arc You over
tired, my sweet peti Feel how hot his
poor nose is, Dora / fear he is in raging
fever"
Jeremy Calcott's heart sank into his
boots. The pretty girl seemed as ready
20 MAKE spectacle Of herself over the
cat as her palmer companion. and he.
Calcott had Of course offended them
both mortally by his unlucky remarks
people who Travelled about
with amateur menagerics. I'm vain did
he forfeit part OF his ticket to soc the
cat and its two guardians safe into q cab
at @ CrOcc-formal thanks, a linn
ha idshakc, were his only reward, as the
poke bonnet vanished from his qaze-for
ever he believed In his despair.
Somehow, IL did not seem silly for her
% be fond Of % cat IL was. probably.
very nice cat, with who knows what in
teTesting history. What a fool he had
been b. tride with his happiness by those
ungeuerous comments All was over
now, thanks to this special confouuded
cat
Jeremy Calcott little realized that tho
maligned Conrad would one da indi-
rectly befiiend him, when he was In sore
ueod
To escape the heat aud end subjects
for his skotchbook, Mr. Calcott wandered